Heading out to a conference? Want a cool coffee mug? SD Times is looking
for “Newshounds” to write about your experiences – what
you think is interesting, important or amusing. Send us your report, and we’ll
send you this mug.
Nearly anyone can be an SD Times Newshound -- software development manager,
technologist, software architect, researcher, consultant or analyst. However,
there are a couple of rules. First, you should be attending the conference
as an attendee or as a speaker, not as an exhibitor, sponsor or vendor. Second,
you actually have to go to the conference – you can’t “phone
it in.”
What makes a good Newshound report? New information, of course. Tell our readers
– who are your peers and colleagues -- something they don’t know.
Perhaps you sat in on a breakout session or keynote you found particularly thought-provoking.
Perhaps you had a hallway discussion with a technology expert who raised an
interesting point, or brought a new perspective to commonly held beliefs. Perhaps
an organization sponsoring the event revealed some new methodology for completing
a task.
What ISN”T a good Newshound report? Any article that promotes a company’s
products or services. Newshound reports are NOT “opportunities”
for marketers/publicists/evangelists to write about themselves or their clients.
Submitting Newshound Reports
If you are attending a conference and wish to sign up as an SD Times Newshound,
send an e-mail to SD Times editor-in-chief David Rubinstein briefly explaining
which event you’re attending, and what you plan to focus on there (if
appropriate). Nothing fancy: Just a few sentences or a short outline will suffice.
We will write back either to encourage you to proceed, or to offer suggestions
for changing your approach to more closely meet the needs of SD Times’
readers. Feel free to communicate back and forth until you feel comfortable
with the proposal.
Newshound reports should not exceed 800 words unless expressly approved prior
to writing. When the article is complete, send it to David via email. Include
a publication-quality digital photograph of yourself (see
the guidelines) and a brief bio describing who you are and what you do.
We reserve the right to edit Newshound report submissions for length, clarity
and style.
NOTE TO NEWSHOUND SHUTTERBUGS! If you are handy with a camera and want
to send in a photo to go along with your article, that is fine. If you want
to send in a collection of photos from the event to be used in a photo gallery
on www.sdtimes.com, that is even better.
The editors of SD Times reserve the right to reject Newshound articles that
they perceive to be overtly or subtly commercial in nature. We may also reject
articles that aren't relevant to the newspaper's mission and audience, as well
as those that we sincerely believe aren't interesting or thought-provoking.
If you have any questions, contact David at drubinstein@bzmedia.com
or at 1-631-421-4158 ext. 105.
Finally, please note that we are asking for Newshound reports for conferences
that you’re actually planning to attend anyway as a speaker or attendee.
You are not attending the conference for SD Times, and as such, are not “media”
covering the event. Please do not tell conference organizers that you are “covering”
the event for SD Times, or request that a free or discounted press pass to the
event based on any affiliation with SD Times.